The points of issue
First English edition, translated by Michael Roloff, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 1972 (133 pp.; ISBN 0374163766). Stated first printing; dust jacket designed by Janet Halverson. Handke's first work of fiction published in English.
Is this the true first?
True first English edition is the FSG US printing of 1972 (Roloff translation), preceding the UK Methuen edition. German original published as Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter by Suhrkamp, 1970.
Telling it from reprints & book-club editions
Later FSG and reprint paperbacks (including FSG Classics) are reprints, not the first; confirm the 1972 FSG hardcover with a stated first printing and the priced jacket.
Frequently asked questions
Is my copy of The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter) a first edition?
Look for these first-edition points: First English edition, translated by Michael Roloff, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, New York, 1972 (133 pp.; ISBN 0374163766). Stated first printing; dust jacket designed by Janet Halverson. Handke's first work of fiction published in English.
How do I tell the first printing from a later one?
Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. True first English edition is the FSG US printing of 1972 (Roloff translation), preceding the UK Methuen edition. German original published as Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter by Suhrkamp, 1970.
Is the book-club edition the same as the first?
Later FSG and reprint paperbacks (including FSG Classics) are reprints, not the first; confirm the 1972 FSG hardcover with a stated first printing and the priced jacket.
I have a first edition of The Goalie's Anxiety at the Penalty Kick (Die Angst des Tormanns beim Elfmeter) — what should I do?
If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.